Long Hot Summer
by FantasticFicLad
Summary: Kon. Cassie. A crush. A skateboard. This won't end well.


Author's Notes: None of these characters belong to me. If they did, they wouldn't all be dead, emo, or in limbo. Dedicated to the glory days of YJ, when a skateboarding mishap would actually qualify as a serious problem for the team.

Long, Hot Summer, by Milleniumrex

"Thank Hera!" Cassie cried as she flew into the Young Justice Lair. It was June 25th. The end of the school year, and no one was happier than the young Wonder Girl. "My mom was riding my butt about schoolwork constantly. Do you know how hard it is to balance that with the superhero thing? No more! Two months of straight heroing with no distractions! Am I the only one who's stoked?"

The boys of Young Justice barely looked up from their comic books.

"Yeah"

"Super awesome."

"Wait, who's a stork?" Bart said, as he dodged a cup from Kon.

"You guys are a laugh riot" Cassie said as she rolled her eyes.

"Some of us are too Super for school, Cass. You know Hawaii couldn't handle me." Kon smirked as he got out of his chair. He tousled his hair, and Cassie tried to remind herself that he was cocky, smug, and way too in love with himself. She failed. That hair got her every time.

"So, um...if you're free too, did you want to, I don't know...hang out or something? Whatever you want to do. I'm cool with it." Stop sounding desperate, Cassie. You're embarassing yourself, she thought to herself. Her cheeks flushed as she looked up at Kon.

"Yeah, sure. Don't have anything better to do. I was thinking of going to the skate park. These two are going to be geeking out all day." Kon pointed a finger at Tim and Bart, who were busy discussing the minutae of the latest Captain Carrot issue.

"Yankee Poodle's totally the traitor!"

"She's been a member of Just Lotta Animals since issue one, Bart."

"Bet you she's the traitor! Loser has to wear Cassie's old wig for a day!"

Cassie hurled her backpack at Bart's head. It was dodged easily. Kon snickered.

"That really was the worst costume ever."

"I know, Kon. Don't remind me." Cassie blushed again. "So, the skate park?"

-----------------------

Cassie winced as Kon took another header. Yeah, she knew he was invincible, but still, it couldn't be healthy for anyone to smash their head on hard surfaces that many times in ten minutes. It didn't seem to bother Kon, though, as he flashed her a big grin as he stood up.

"Another perfect landing! And the crowd goes wild!"

Cassie stifled a laugh as her phone rang. Her mom. Again.

"Who's that? Your secret boyfriend?"

"No, jerk. It's just my mom. She wanted me to help out at the museum this afternoon, but she won't mind if I'm a little late. I mean, first day of summer, right? I've earned this."

"You sure? Don't want her to flip out and take away your powers or something."

Cassie looked at her wrists. They always got so pale in the summer under her power bracelets, so she was taking the opportunity to tan them a little. "You know my mom. She'll yell, maybe, but it's more than worth it to spend a little more time here and watch you take a few more headers."

Kon laughed. "Easy for you to say from up there. How about you take a turn on this board? Let me see what you've got. I always thought skater girls were cute."

"Me? Come on, you know I don't get along with sports. I hide behind the bleachers during gym class." Cassie blanched, both at the thought and the "cute" comment.

"Come on, don't tell me you're scared. You'll face a minotaur head-on, but not this? What's life if you don't take a few chances?"

Cassie sighed. Kon could pretty much sweet-talk her into anything. "Okay, I'll take one jump on it. My head's not as hard as yours, so if I die, I'm totally haunting you."

Cassie leapt on Kon's skateboard, flashing him a smile. "You'll catch me if I fall, right?"

"Totally."

Cassie eased the board off the edge of the ramp(which was much taller than it appeared sitting down). She nearly screamed as she felt it nose-dive into the curve, but a second later, she felt herself smile as she got comfortable on the board and rode up the opposite end, grabbing the board as she fell back down. She flashed Conner a big thumbs-up.

"Knew it! You're a natural!" Conner called from the other side as Cassie began her second trip down the ramp.

What happened next was probably the most perfect storm of bad luck in the history of humanity. Cassie was skating down the ramp when she heard her phone ring. Again. Looking at it, she didn't see the slightly rough spot on the ramp midway in the curve. Probably what kept tripping up Conner, she thought to herself as she felt the board catch on the ramp, sending her stumbling off the board. She didn't have the balance to fly, and her foot buckled painfully under her as she stepped off the board. Her last thought before she tumbled into the ramp was that she had forgotten to put her bracelets back on.

Kon winced from above and flew down to Cassie, who was slowly picking herself up. She glared up at him.

"You said you'd catch me, you jerk!"

"Sorry! Didn't know you'd face-plant at the bottom!"

"Just help me up, will you?"

Kon wrapped Cassie's arm around his shoulder and lifted her up. As she stood up, she suddenly yanked her right foot off the ground and collapsed against him, wincing.

"Whoa. Are you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay? It's my ankle. I must have sprained it or something."

"I thought you were invulnerable."

"Not when I don't have my bracelets on! Why didn't you warn me?"

"I'm a guy! I don't think about things like that!"

Cassie thought about whacking Kon upside the head, but decided it might not be a good idea to do anything that might make him let go of her right now. Kon flew them over to a bench and gently lifted Cassie's foot into his lap. Cassie winced. Her sneaker was already starting to feel way too tight. Not wanting to look bad in front of Kon, she pasted a fake smile on her face.

"It's probably nothing. I'd better just get home and ice it or something."

"Are you sure? That was a pretty nasty fall."

"Of course I'm sure! I just - "

Cassie's attempt to hop to her feet was foiled by a sharp pain in her ankle, and she fell back on the bench rubbing her foot and cursing under her breath. She pushed back the tears she could feel starting to form in her eyes. Biting her lip, she untied her shoe, easing the pressure a bit, and slowly eased her sneaker off her throbbing foot. It was already obviously swollen and bruised.

"That's it. I'm flying you to the emergency room."

"No! I'll have to call my mom, and I'll never hear the end of it. I'll be fine."

"I don't know. What if you broke it?"

"No way! I mean...it doesn't hurt that much."

Kon gave Cassie a suspicious look, not exactly trusting her words.

"It's not broken. I've got a whole summer planned! I was finally going to have time to devote myself to the team, get more practice at the hero thing! Gods, why did I let you talk me into this? This is all your fault!"

Kon got a sad puppy-dog look on his face. "Geez, sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I just thought you'd have fun."

"Yeah, real fun." Cassie glared at Kon. She sighed. "Let's just get this over with. I'll call my mom on the way."

Kon gently took Cassie into his arms and flew into the sky. Cassie involuntarily found herself clinging onto his leather jacket as they flew. Sure, she was still sort of mad at him, but it still felt good. Now she just had to hope against hope that the news was good.

----------------------

Cassie wasn't sure what she was more nervous about: the x-rays or her mother's reaction when she showed up. Kon was busy arguing with the receptionist at the front desk.

"How many times do I have to tell you, lady? I don't have a "real name"! It's Kon-El!"

Kon walked back over, shrugging his shoulders. "They finally let me sign us in. We're behind twenty kids with colds, though. I did manage to snatch an ice pack, though."

Cassie grabbed the cold pack and quickly applied it to her foot. It took the throbbing down a bit, although not much. She sighed in relief.

"Still mad at me?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. He was just going to keep pouting until she forgave him.

"Not really. I mean, I didn't have to get on your stupid skateboard, I guess."

Kon sat down, and Cassie leaned into his shoulder. They were both comfortable for a second, and then - not so much.

"Cassandra Sandsmark!"

Cassie's head shot up and she turned to see her mother Helena running into the emergency room.

"Hi, mom."

"I came right over from the museum! Skateboarding? What were you thinking? Have you ever been on a skateboard in your life?"

"No, hence the face-plant."

"You were supposed to come right to the museum after school. Just because I've let you continue with this superhero silliness doesn't mean - "

"I know!" Cassie shouted. "Come on! Don't you think I'm suffering enough here? I don't need the lecture!"

Helena's eyes turned to Kon, who was not-so-subtly trying to disappear into the corner. "You must be the boy who Cassie's always talking about. I assume you put her up to this foolishness?"

"Well, I didn't push her on it or anything, but yeah." Suddenly Kon got a devilish grin on his face. "Wait, she talks about me?"

Cassie facepalmed. This really was the worst day ever. Fortunately, the awkwardness was broken up shortly thereafter by the doctor calling them in.

Later, after a series of uncomfortable x-rays, Cassie was sitting on an examining table waiting for the results to come in while her mother and Kon stood behind her, casting vaguely suspcious looks at each other. After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came back in, pinning the x-rays up on the wall and staring at them intently.

Cassie sighed "So, what's the damage?" She was still hoping a few days of R&R would take care of it, but she wasn't too hopeful.

"Well, you've fractured two small bones in your ankle. There's also a partially torn ligament. All in all, you're actually quite lucky. Any more severe, it would have required surgery. As it is, eight weeks in a cast should take care of it."

Cassie couldn't say anything. All she could do was watch her plans for the entire summer circle the drain. Why had she gotten on that skateboard?

Helena rubbed Cassie's shoulder, trying to comfort her daughter. "It won't be that bad, honey. It'll pass like nothing. By the time school starts, it'll all be over with."

Kon snorted "Yeah, probably not helping there.

Cassie collapsed backwards on the examining table. Worst. Day. Ever.

------------------

A few hours later, Helena held the door to the apartment open as Cassie slowly hobbled in on crutches. Kon was hovering behind her, just in case she fell(which was more than likely, Cassie thought). Collapsing on the couch, Cassie glared at the light blue cast covering her leg from her toes to her knee.

"It hurts. Someone give me drugs."

"The doctor said you were supposed to keep it elevated, Cass. Here."

Kon lifted Cassie's foot onto the table in front of the couch and propped it up on a cushion. "Better?"

Cassie smiled. "A little, thanks." Pushing her crutches to the floor, she rolled her eyes. "I don't get why these stupid things are necessary. I mean, I can still fly."

Helena shook her head vigorously. "The doctor did not approve that. I'm not letting you endanger yourself any further."

"Well, of course he didn't approve it. Secret identity? As far as he's concerned, I'm just some normal girl who fell off a skateboard. We know better."

"I'm not talking about this anymore, Cassie! You know I don't like this superhero business to begin with, and I'm certainly not going to watch you fly around risking yourself while you're already injured. I'm trusting you right now, but if I have to, I can take your powers away until you're healed!"

Cassie and her mother stared each other down for a minute, then Helena's face softened. "I'm just trying to keep you safe, Cassie. Why don't I go fix you a snack?"

As Helena hurried off to the kitchen, Kon leaned next to Cassie. "I should get back. Are you going to be okay here?"

Tears filling her eyes, Cassie looked away. "Sure, I'll be fine. I mean, not like I'm going anywhere, right? For eight weeks. Give the team my regards. I'm sure they'll have a big laugh over this."

"Anyone laughs at you, I'll punch them! Besides, I'll be around. I'll drop by a lot."

"And do what? Hang around with my mom giving you the fish-eye? You're probably going to be saving the world like ten times this summer, and I'll be hanging around here watching summer reruns. What's the point?"

Kon hated seeing Cassie like this, but he was never exactly good with words. He flew out, heading back to YJ headquarters.

------------------------

It was probably the most lopsided game of ping-pong ever. Bart had outscored Kon about 72-0 before he stopped keeping score, and just started seeing how long he could bounce the ball off Kon's head before Kon noticed. Around bounce 45, Kon grabbed it out of the air.

"Dude! Enough!"

"Hey! Can you blame me? You were just standing there. Anyone would have done it! Anyone!"

"Yeah, well, anyone would agree with me if I made you eat this!"

Bart stared at Kon. "Dude, what's up with you? Normally you'd suggest we go throw it at Tim instead."

"I'm just not in the mood to mess around today, Bart. Cassie's got a broken ankle because of me, and we're just hanging around acting like idiots. I should be doing something."

"You could go on an epic quest around the world to collect some magical artifacts to heal her. Girls dig that. I saw it on TV."

"Yeah, thanks, Bart. It just sucks, you know? This was supposed to be the summer I finally sealed the deal with Cassie. And now...not so much. She probably hates me, and I don't blame her. My stupid skateboard ruined her whole summer."

"You know what I think?" Bart said with an oddly serious look on his face.

"This should be interesting."

"I think you probably blame yourself a lot more than she does. That, and...gotcha!"

Bart bounced the ball off Kon's face and ran out of the room laughing. So much for thoughtful, Kon thought as he ran off to stuff Bart in something.

------------------------------

It was Cassie's first full morning with cast and crutches, and it was worse than she thought. The part that annoyed her the most was how much longer everything seemed to take, even the most simple things. Getting a bowl of cereal for breakfast would turn into a big production. It was pretty much impossible to carry anything while using crutches, and hopping around with a bowl of cereal and milk generally wound up with her spilling it on her shirt. She wound up eating corn pops dry from the box. She didn't even want to think about what washing her hair would entail, so she just kept the mess she woke up with. She figured she would try tying a bag around her leg and taking a shower later, but everything just took so much energy that she just wound up collapsing on the couch and going back to sleep. That is, until the loud knocks at the door.

"C'mon, girl, open up! No way are we leaving you alone in there!"

Cassie hopped to her feet, got situated on her crutches, and hobbled over to the door. Opening it, she saw the faces of her three best friends: Cissie King-Jones, Greta Hayes, and Anita Fite. Cissie had left the team after retiring as Arrowette, although she never actually seemed to really leave the cave, and Anita and Greta were her teammates. And they were all here, apparently in some attempt to cheer her up.

Cissie eyed the cast on Cassie's foot. "Dang. So it's really broken, huh?"

"Yeah. Two places. I just wish I actually had a cool story to go with it. I'm going to have this thing on till the end of August. No fighting crime, no sports, no hanging out at the pool. It's going to be a really long summer."

"You can still hang around at the cave." Anita said. "We barely even fight crime most days. Besides, just because you're on the sidelines doesn't mean you're not one of us. Heck, Cissie quit months ago, and she never leaves."

Anita laughed as she dodged a pillow thrown by Cissie. Cissie and Anita then pulled out Sharpie markers. Cassie groaned.

"Do you have to? I mean, come on."

"We're girls, Cass. It's what we do." Cissie grinned as she and Anita started signing Cassie's cast. Greta looked on in curiosity, floating around as she often did.

"What's the point of this ritual? Does it assist in healing?"

"Not really. It's more just something we do for fun. Makes everyone feel a little better."

"More so for the best friends, apparently." Cassie quipped.

After the signing was finished, and Cassie's leg was suitably covered in doodles for the girls' taste, Cassie related the whole story for them.

"He actually dared you into riding his skateboard, and you broke your ankle? I hope you've got him waiting on you hand and foot now, mon." Anita said, shaking her head.

"Not really. I kind of snapped at him, and told him to go away. He probably feels really bad, but I just wasn't up to him. I mean, I know it's not totally his fault, but still..."

"Cass! The only good thing about a girl being injured is that she gets to make her boyfriend take care of her. You can't stay mad at him forever. Besides, he's probably beating himself up over it. Or Bart, if I know those two."

"He's not my boyfriend, Cissie!"

All three of the girls gave her a disbelieving look.

"Well, not officially, at least. I mean, we never kissed or anything. We flirt, but you know how it is..."

"Sometimes, he'll sniff your old wig."

The three girls all shot around to stare at Secret, who was gazing innocently at them.

"Say what?"

"I float around. I see things. He likes to sniff your wig. He's totally "into you" as they say."

"Wow. I guess what I want to know is...why? I mean, why me? I'm awkward, nerdy, tomboyish, 14, and now you can add "gimpy" to that list. And he's...Superboy. Why would he be so into me?"

Cissie leaned in and hugged Cassie. "I can't say for sure, but don't sell yourself short. And trust me, from someone who's been trying to get Bart interested in her for over a year...don't let him get away."

-------------------

That night, Cassie was lying in bed with her foot propped up, trying to fall asleep. It had been a long, boring day, and her mom's suggestion that she get a jump on her summer reading work didn't help any(Although Hemingway did help with the sleep thing). A faint twinge in her ankle was keeping her up, though. She was about to give up and pop another pill when she heard a light tap at her bedroom window.

"Cass?"

Cassie slid out of bed and hopped towards the window. Pulling back the curtains, she saw a guilty-looking Kon floating outside the window.

"Kon? Are you crazy? If my mom finds you out here, she'll kill you!"

"I know, but I was going nuts. I just couldn't hang around the cave anymore while you were stuck here, hating me."

"I don't hate you, Kon. I'm just pissed off. At you, a little, for being you and always wanting to do stupid things I would never do in a million years, but mostly at me. I don't know how to skateboard. I knew it was probably going to end badly. But when you looked at me, I kind of lost my mind. That happens a lot these days. So I did something stupid and ruined my summer. That's not your fault. If anything, I could use someone hanging around and falling on his head occasionally to take my mind off my ankle."

Kon grinned. "Awesome. I was hoping to hear that. So...friends again?"

"Almost. There's just something I need to know. You sniff my old wig?"

Kon blanched. "Er, uh...I don't know who told you that. I mean, I may have taken a whiff one time, but - "

Kon was interrupted as Cassie leaned out the window and kissed Kon. Her first kiss. Probably not his, she thought to herself, but you wouldn't know it from the look on his face. As they pulled apart and looked at each other, Cassie thought to herself that cast and crutches be damned, maybe this wasn't going to be such a bad summer after all...


End file.
